Internal combustion engine



H. S. WHITE INTERNAL .cbMBUsTIoN ENGINE May 24, 1938.

Filed April 28, 1936 MNTIII? Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Application April 28, 1936, Serial No. '76,770`

Claims.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and particularly to means for ventilating the crank case thereof, one of the primary objects being to utilize the vacuum in the intake 5 manifold for drawing the fumes from the crank case when the engine is Operating at part throttle opening.

Another object is to provide a vent leading from the crank case to the intake maniiold to` provide lubrication of the cylinder above the piston.

Another object is to provide positive crcula tion of the fumes in the crank case to eliminate condensation of moisture ther-ein,` thus permitting easier starting of the engine in cold weather.

Another object is to provide a passageway in the valve stern guide to connect the engine fuel intake chamber with the crank case whereby the vacuum in the intake chamber will draw the fumes from the crank case and carry them into the engine combustion chamber on the suction str cke of the piston.

Other objects, and objects relating to details of Construction, methods of manufacture and i methods of operation will be apparent from the drawing and the detailed description to follow.

In the accompanying 'drawing which shows two suitable embo diments oi my invention and in which like numerals refer to like parts through- 30 out the several views:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational View of an engine showing one form of my invention included therewith;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view taken on 3 a the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 showing a portion of the engine, the intake manifold and the tube leading from the manifold to the engine crank case; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1' showing a portion of the gm* engine crank case, the breather tube therefor and the connection from the tube leading to the intake manifold.

Considerable diiculty has been experienced with co-ndensation of moisture in the crank case 45 of the engine, particularly in cold weather, which has caused ccnsiderable trouble in the starting and successful operation of the engine. In some cases it has been found that the condensation of the moisture in the engine crank case col- 50 lects around the oil pump so that the frozen Water prevents its operation and the lubricant will not circulate to the respective bearings thus making it extremely difiicult for the operator to start the engine and also considerable damage 55 has been done to the engine because of the improper lubrication. I have eliminated, at least to a large extent, the con'densation of the moisture in the crank case by drawing the fumes therefrom while the engine is in motion and carrying the umes into the combustion space in the 5 engine. Enough lubricant is carried with the fumes to properly lubricate the engine cylinder above the piston so that I have obtained the triple advantage of eliminating crank case lubricant dilution, the lubrication of the engine 10 cylinders, and improved carburation in starting the engine because of the moisture drawn into the combustion chamber.

In order that those skilled in the art may better understand the purpose and advantages of 15 my invention, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing and referring first to Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, I have illustrated an engine cylinder block II) having a cylinder head ll attached to the upper face thereof by the cap screws !2. The engine may be of the single or multiple cylinder type and includes an intake valve !3 movable to open and close the opening into the combustion chamber hi in the cylinder head H which communicates with the cylinder !5 having a piston !6 reciprocating therein. The engine intake port I' communicates with the intake manifold !8 which may be of any desired shape and to which is attached the carburetor !9, a portion only of which is illustrated.

The engine crank case 20 has an opening 2l therein to which is fitted the end 22 of a breather tube 23 which is Secured thereto by the bolt 24 as is best illustrated in Fig. 3. During the operation of the engine the crank shaft thereof will cause the lubricant in the crank case to be agitated so that the fumes' arising therefrcm may pass out through the breather tube 23. Phis vent has been found not to be sufiiciently effective at low engine speeds and in cold 40 weather to Carry away the fumes from the crank case and to assist in this operation I have prcvided a tube 25 terminating in a coupling 26 fitted into the breather tube 23 in the upper face as shown in Fig. 3. The opposite end of the tube 25 is Secured in a coupling 21 having a communication with the passageway 28 formed in the intake manifold !8. The passageway 28 in the intake manifold !8 is preferably positioned at a low level thereoi so that any unvaporized fuel in the intake manifold may flow into the tube 29 Secured in the coupling 28 in the side opposite to the tube 25. The tube 29 is provided with a check valve 30 operative to close when the engine is running and open when there is no vacuum in the intake manifold to permit discharge of the unvaporized fuel collected in bottom of the intake manifold.

The construction which I have illustrated is particularly adapted for use in automotive vehicles and the breather tube 23 preferably has a tapered free end 3l sloping away from the normal forward travel of the vehicle as indicated by the arrow A in Fig. 1. When the vehicle is traveling at low speeds or when the engine is running at a relatively low speed there may be a tendency for the air to travel upwardly in the breather tube 23 into the crank case 20 and to eliminate such a possibility I have illustrated a valve 32 which is adapted to close the opening in the breather tube 23 in the event air tends to travel upwardly therein but which will open and permit the crank case fumes to travel outwardly therefrom. When the vehicle is .traveling at a relatlvely high speed there will be a small vacuum at the end 3| of the breather tube 23 which will tend to draw the fumes from the crank case to thereby assist in cleaning .the same from moisture. It is also evident that when the intake valve |3 opens the combustion chamber M to the intake passage IT and on each suction stroke of the piston IS that the vacuum in the intake manifold will draw the fumes from the crank case 20 and Carry the same with the fuel mixture into the engine cylinder |5 to lubricate the cylinder above the piston. It will also be evident from an inspection of the drawing and the description to follow that at low engine speeds When there is a greater vacuum in the intake manifold, the connection from the crank case to the intake manifold will be most effective in drawing the fumes from the crank case. This arrangement is therefore effective to carry away the crank case fumes when the breather tube is least effective so that at all times dilution of the lubricant and condensation of moisture in the crank case is eliminated.

While I have shown only a preferred embodiment of my invention it will be understood that changes which would occur to those skilled in the art and changes resulting from methods of manufacture and details of Construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and substance of my invention, the scope of which is to be measured entirely by the sub-joined claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine having a cylinder, a piston therein, a fuel mixture intake port communicating with said cylinder and a crank case adapted to contain a lubricant, of a breather tube having its upper end secured to the side of said crank case providing an outlet passageway from the latter and having a rearwardly exposed opening at its lower end and shaped to cause a partial vacuum at the end of the tube when the engine is running at a relatively high speed to draw fumes from said crank case, and a tube connected at one end with the upper end of said breather tube and at its opposite end with said intake port whereby the fumes from the lubricant in said crank case are drawn into said intake port and cylinder upon the suction stroke of said piston.

2. In a vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine having a crank case with lubricant therein, a cylinder, and an intake manifold connected with said cylinder, of means for preventing dilution of the lubricant in said crank case and condensation of moisture therein comprising a breather pipe connected at its upper end to said crank case and having an open lower end subject to negative pressure in accordance with vehicle movement, means in said breather preventing flow of fluid upwardly therein, conduit means connected between the upper end of said breather and said manifold for drawing crank case vapors into said cylinder upon the suction stroke thereof, and suction controlled valve means for draining said manifold and conduit means upon stopping of said engine.

3. In a vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine having a crank case with lubricant therein, a cylinder, and an intake manifold for said cylinder, of a breather tube connected at its upper end to the upper portion of said crank case and having a rearwardly opening lower end subjecting said tube to negative pressure in accordance with the rate of movement of sai-d vehicle, a conduit connecting the upper part of said breather tube to said manifold, and a valve in said tube normally urged into position to prevent updrafts therein.

4. In a vehicle, the combination with an internal combustion engine having a crank case adapted to contain lubricant, a cylinder, and an intake fuel conduit therefor, of a breather tube connected to the upper end of one side of said crank case and extending downwardly below said engine, the lower end of said tube having a rearward opening whereby negative pressure is produced in said tube during rapid forward movement of said vehicle to draw fumes from the upper part of said crank case, and a suction conduit between said intake conduit and the upper end of said breather tube for drawing fumes from said crank case into said cylinder upon slow speed movement of said vehicle or when said engine is Operating and the vehicle is stationary.

5. In combination, in a vehicle an internal combustion engine having a depending crank case adapted to contain lubricant and having an intake manifold for the cylin-ders of said engine, said crank case having an opening in one side thereof adjacent the top thereof, a breather tube having a laterally extending inlet secured in said opening and having a downwardly extending tubular portion provided at its lower end with a rearwardly directed outlet, a second outlet tube connected to the top of said tube and leading to said manifold, whereby said inlet is subjected to suction to draw fumes from said crank case in accordance with the suction created in said cylinders and the forward speed of said vehicle.

HAROLD S. WHITE. 

